Know the Foe: Wyoming at Air Force
Oct. 13—Brent Briggeman has covered Air Force Academy football for the Colorado Springs Gazette since 2012. He weighs in on what University of Wyoming fans can expect during Saturday's matchup between the Cowboys and Falcons.
Air Force has the No. 2 defense in the country at 223.8 yards allowed per game. How will Wyoming's No. 113th-ranked offense need to attack the Falcons?
That's a good question. The Air Force defense was No. 1 in the nation last year, so this performance is no fluke, and has encompassed strong games against all kinds of offenses. Obviously, some of that is a credit to the Falcons' ball-control offense that eats so much clock and limits the snaps for opposing offenses, but most of it is due to the defense's ability to get off the field. There's not an obvious weakness. The front seven is legit and contains body types that are not undersized at this level. The safeties — Trey Taylor and Jayden Goodwin — are veteran playmakers who should be in the conversation for postseason honors. The corners are athletic. If there was a secret to combatting this, somebody would have found it. I think it's just an extremely sound unit that can adjust to the style that each week demands.
How has quarterback Zac Larrier looked in his first season engineering this Falcons offense?
His growth has been fun to watch. The talent, highlighted by speed that made him a two-time Mountain West track champion in the 200 meters, was apparent from the beginning. The first two games saw a few issues with questionable decision on pitches and difficulty in ball control. Those have been cleaned up. Last week, the team finally let him use his arm a little more, and he responded by completing 6-of-7 passes for 189 yards and two touchdowns. He's got the complete skill set to play this offense, so really, at this point, it's just a matter of staying healthy and continuing to unlock all of those skills.
Fullback Emmanuel Michel has eight touchdowns on the year, with all eight coming in Air Force's first three conference games. What dynamic has he provided for the offense?
The main thing he has provided is continuity in allowing the team to keep its stride following the graduation of Brad Roberts, the fullback who led the nation in rushing last year. Michel entered with a good deal of experience as Roberts' backup for the past two seasons. He's a low-to-the-ground, strong runner who has exhibited a nose for the end zone.
Wide receiver Jared Roznos has caught six of Larrier's 14 completed passes on the year for two touchdowns. How good has that connection been in the passing game?
The numbers speak for themselves. The main thing for Roznos was simply winning the internal competition to become the starter at that position. Over the years, Air Force's wide receivers have enjoyed massive yard-per-catch success, with Jalen Robinette, Geraud Sanders and David Cormier ranking among the nation's best in that category. Roznos has the size and speed and hands to carry that tradition in an offense that offers little in the way of quantity for its receivers, but makes up for it in the quality of the chances.
Wyoming and Air Force have historically had close matchups in the Craig Bohl era. Do you think fans are in store for another one this weekend?
I think so. Wyoming is obviously enjoying a strong season. Air Force is, too. I could see Air Force gaining a little separation, as it did at home in this series with double-digit wins in 2021, 2019 and 2015. However, if Wyoming's defense can slow the triple option and force a few stops, it could get interesting.
How important is this conference game in the landscape of the MW title game in December?
Massive, and I wouldn't be surprised if these teams meet up again in December. I would be shocked if the winner of this game isn't playing for the conference title. Wyoming would have already posted wins over Fresno State and Air Force, which is akin to building a two-game lead over both because of the head-to-head tiebreaker in this division-less conference. I know a lot of football remains, but it seems to me that Wyoming could then basically play itself into the championship game in its next contest against Boise State — which looks susceptible right now. Conversely, Air Force would move to 4-0 in the league and figures to be heavily favored in all of its remaining MW games (at CSU, at Hawaii, vs. UNLV) before closing at Boise State.
Air Force has the No. 1 rushing offense in the country at 329.8 yards per game. How important is the time of possession going to be this weekend?
That's issue No. 1 in every Air Force game. It will be again. Wyoming held Air Force to a season-low 171 rushing yards last year and won the possession time, which is big reason why the Falcons again left Laramie with a loss.
Air Force is sitting at 10.5-point favorites on ESPN. What do you expect to see from this matchup this weekend?
I've seen some good Air Force teams in my time on this beat. They went 10-3 in 2014 and 2016. They went to the Mountain West title game in 2015. They were 11-2 in 2019 and 10-3 in each of the past two years. They've won five straight against Power Five opponents. I'm not sure I've seen a more complete team than this one.
And when Air Force is good, they are exceptionally good at home. All that said, Wyoming is built in a way that can, and traditionally has, given this program fits. Three of those 10-win Air Force teams I mentioned suffered losses to the Cowboys.
Granted, all of those losses were in Laramie, but still, Craig Bohl teams have fared about as well as anyone against the Falcons. I like Air Force to win at home, but I think the point spread is a bit extreme.
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Alex Taylor is the assistant editor for WyoSports and covers University of Wyoming athletics. He can be reached at ataylor@wyosports.net. Follow him on X at @alex_m_taylor22.
